Monday, September 26, 2016

Casa Grande man can sue Catholic church over alleged sex abuse in Guam

Guam Gov.
Eddie Calvo said Friday he signed a bill that would lift the statute of
limitations on child sex abuse charges for civil cases after allegations
were made earlier this year by a Casa Grande man and three others that
they were abused as children by the local archbishop.

Catholic leaders say the move could bankrupt the church in the largely Catholic U.S. territory.

The bill, which does not apply to criminal
prosecutions, was approved by the Legislature after abuse allegations
surfaced against Archbishop Anthony Apuron.

Current Casa Grande resident Walter Denton
publicly revealed he was molested as a child by Apuron when the
archbishop was a Catholic priest in Guam.

The 52-year-old Denton told
the Casa Grande Dispatch he attempted to report the incident almost 40
years ago, but nothing was done about it.

Denton held a press conference June 7 in Guam
where he alleged he had been the victim of sexual abuse while serving as
an altar boy at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, located in the village
of Agat. He accused Apuron of raping him as a 13-year-old during a
sleepover.

Three other victims have come forward, alleging
they too were abused by Apuron.

Pope Francis appointed a Vatican
official to temporarily take over Apuron’s position in the Agana
Archdiocese as the claims are investigated.

Church leaders say lifting the statute of
limitations would subject the church to unlimited financial liability,
forcing the closure of parish churches and schools on the island where
more than three quarters of Guam’s 162,000 residents are Roman
Catholics.

Calvo acknowledged in an open letter to the
people of Guam that he wasn’t sure if the measure’s retroactive
application could withstand a legal challenge.

Apuron, now 70, has been accused of molesting at
least five altar boys in the 1960s and 70s.

He has denied the
allegations and hasn’t been charged with any crime.

His lawyer hasn’t returned repeated messages left by The Associated Press.

In response to the allegations, the Vatican appointed Archbishop Savio Hon as temporary apostolic administrator for Guam.

While in Rome discussing the matter, he sent a
letter home urging parishioners to sign a petition against the bill.

In
the letter, which priests read out loud during Mass on Sunday, he
promised a canonical trial for Apuron.

Despite that, Hon issued a statement thanking the
governor for his action, reiterating a Church apology to sex abuse
victims, and pledging funds to help people who have suffered such abuse
by clergy.

In the letter, Calvo said he was “saddened that
even a single injustice had to happen in order to make this law
necessary. There are no winners. Justice is the only victory.”

He added that he was resolute in his decision,
saying the legislation opens “the doors of justice to those who suffered
a terrible harm as children.”

Roland Sondia, 54, who also earlier this year
publicly accused Apuron of molesting him when he was a 15-year-old altar
boy, said he would now file a lawsuit.